The invention relates to a wheel suspension for a motor vehicle.
The wheel suspension of a motor vehicle may have an electric shock absorber, which attenuates the operational vehicle vibrations. The electric shock absorber may include a generator which converts the vibration energy into electrical energy that can be supplied via corresponding power electronics to the onboard electrical system of the vehicle.
DE 101 15 858 A1 discloses an electric vibration damper of this type with a generator driven by the operational up and down movements of the vehicle wheel, thereby generating an induced voltage.
For driving the generator disclosed in DE 101 15 858 A1, a ball screw drive is provided which includes a threaded nut cooperating with a threaded spindle and being associated in fixed rotational engagement with the lower spring plate of a suspension spring. The threaded spindle in turn drives a rotor shaft of the generator to generate an induced voltage. Alternatively, the ball screw can also be constructed as a rack-and-pinion gear.
The generator of the electric damper disclosed in DE 101 15 858 A1 is seated on an upper supporting spring plate which is pivotally mounted on the vehicle body at a pivot point. Moreover, the generator is arranged inside the suspension spring. As a result, the installation space available for the generator is greatly reduced. Moreover, the resultant rotational movement of the rotor operating in the generator is small under normal driving operation, so that the generator can operate only with a reduced overall efficiency.